1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to optical fibers and cables.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
Conventional optical fibers require field termination when deployed. Field termination is a cumbersome process in that it requires stripping an outer buffer layer typically found on conventional optical fibers and cleaning the stripped surface with alcohol or other solvent to remove any buffer coating and remaining debris. Since the buffer coating is strongly adhered to the glass cladding of a typical optical fiber, stripping this outer buffer layer can prove difficult and time consuming. In addition, this stripping process could potentially damage the optical fiber which may cause system failure.